


into the fold

by orphan_account



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: M/M, mountain make-outs, the boys do some sheep herding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-10-31 19:52:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10906320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Mac Macdonald loves working at Reynolds Ranch even though the double alliteration would make a lesser man quit on the spot. Every summer he brings the flock up to the best pastures on the Snapridge mountains. Normally alone. This summer, Frank Reynolds thinks his own son really ought to get involved with the ranch.Absolutely no one agrees with this.





	1. meet-not so-cute

**Author's Note:**

  * For [loamvessel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/loamvessel/gifts).



> Hi there!! These just need some polishing and then I'll post the rest of the chapters!! This is not a beat for beat recreation of brokeback mountian bc that movie is SAD and refuse to rewatch it-- so here's a close and much happier rewrite!!I hope it still works for you :)

CHAPTER ONE

 

The morning Mac met Dennis Reynolds dawned grey and cloudy, birds hardly singing in the watery sunlight. As the morning moved along, closer to six, the clouds continued to get heavier and heavier with rain. By the time a Range Rover-- once polished and clean until it had met the ranch’s driveway—rolled up spewing dust behind it, the clouds looked ready to burst at any moment.

This was the third year Mac was spending summer in the Snapridge to watch the flock.

This was the first year he wouldn’t be doing it alone.

The boss wanted his son to get more invested in the ranch, and who was Mac to tell him no? He was just an aging farm hand with an understanding for animals and hay tossing. Not a whole lot to barter with.

This was the first time Mac was going to meet Franks son. His daughter, Sweet Dee, used to stay close to Reynolds Ranch, loving the horses and lounging in the sun near one of the many streams and ponds on the land. She had stayed in the same nearby sleepy country town until she had run off with a waitress from there and she didn’t look back.

Mac wasn’t sure whether to call her brave or stupid.

Mac smacked dust from his jeans with his hat and slammed it on his head again, walking up to meet the driver.

When the man stepped out of his car, Mac was instantly slammed with self-consciousness. He was wearing an ancient pair of jeans and an even older plaid shirt, tight and worn in all the wrong places.

This man- Dennis, he assumed- did not look a goddamn thing like Frank. Which _normally_ would be a relief, but in the situation the two of them were about to enter… Mac would have preferred Frank.

Dennis Reynolds was tall, polished, and coiffed. His shirt was pressed, his jeans were new enough the size sticker was still running down the side, and the cowboy boots he had on his feet were as gaudy as they were pristine.

Mac took one look at him and knew the mountain was gunna chew him up and spit him out in a week tops.

“Howdy,” Dennis said, mocking.

Make it three days.

Mac offered his hand for a shake, “You know people don’t really say that much, right?”

Dennis shrugged and took Mac’s hand.

His grip was warm and firm, Mac felt his eyebrows go up a little. So far, the handshake was the most genuine thing about this guy.

“Dennis Reynolds, pleasure to meet you.” He said, maintaining eye contact.

“I did figure.” Mac said, a grin sliding onto his face as he dropped Dennis’ had and turned towards the stable. “Glad to see you arrived on time. Names Mac, by the way.” He paused long enough for Dennis to say something, who didn’t. Mac cleared his throat. “What’s your riding ability like? I’m about to tack up the horses.”

 “I haven’t ridden in a few years but I’m sure I can handle anything you throw at me.” Dennis said, pride in his tone.

“Mhm.” Mac doubted it. “Why don’t I put you up on a real green one then—see how you handle someone like Domino.”

The gravel crunched under the other man’s horrible cowboy boots. 

“I’m sure I’d handle him fine.” Dennis said striding a little ahead, long legs putting him just ahead of Mac.

Mac really shouldn’t be fucking with someone so obviously new to this but… Something about Dennis was just getting under his skin. Made Mac want to put him in his place.

This ranch was Mac’s home. He could navigate the twists and turns of the deer paths with his eyes closed. He knew how all the horses interacted with each other, the skill levels needed to ride each of them, and who to put on a trail ride with who so it wouldn’t end in stampeding disaster. He could prep everyone’s food in the mornings in ten minutes flat, and knew the best way the herd sheep in each pasture on the mountainside.

Dennis’ last name was on the sign out front-- and that didn’t mean shit.

They stepped into the barn. The heaters were still running and the whole place was a comfortable temperature, smelling sweetly of hay and horses. Mac felt some of the tension ease out of his shoulders.

Mac led Dennis to Domino’s stall and gestured vaguely, other hand shoved in his pocket as he leaned up against the door of Bridget’s stall beside it. Bridgett was the only horse relaxed and kind enough to handle Domino, the snarky paint horse who had something to prove to everyone he met. That ‘something’ was that he was an asshole.

The old mare nickered at Mac and nuzzled the hat off his head. Laughing, he caught it before it could land in her stall and turned his eyes to Dennis again, who hadn’t moved.

“Well go on then. Tack up Domino, if you’re so sure of yourself.” Mac said, presenting it as a challenge.

Dennis narrowed his eyes, “I’ll do just that.”

“Mhm.” Mac patted Bridgett’s nose affectionately. She had a sweet white snip on her nose that he scratched while Mac waited for Dennis to re-emerge.

Around twenty-seven seconds after entering the stall, Dennis came out again, shirt yanked out of his pants, hair mussed beyond recognition, and dripping wet with Domino’s drinking water.

Dennis said nothing as he slammed the stall door shut behind him. Mac fought down a smile.

“How’d that go for you, then?” Mac said, lazily.

Dennis just glared at him.

Mac grinned and gestured to Bridgett, “You can ride her instead. She’s a real sweetheart. Will fall in love with you as soon as you feed her something.”

He took his time tacking her up, trying to show Dennis how to do it without looking like Mac was trying to teach him anything. He felt that might go over... poorly.

 After taking his sweet time and Dennis not paying attention to a single second of it, Mac rolled his eyes and went to go tack his own horse up.

He slipped the bridle on and rubbed Misty’s forelock as she rolled the bit in her mouth, getting used to the weight. She hadn’t been ridden much lately, getting her exercise in the closer pastures. She was a brilliant ride for mountain trails and stamina stuff. Not to mention how well her and Bridgett got along. They would be a good match for the rocky trails.

Misty huffed out a warm breath of air and shoved her face into Macs chest. Hey played with her ears a moment before steeling himself to go speak with Dennis once more. They’d be spending at _least_ three days together, after all. Maybe even the whole summer if Mac was underestimating this guy. (He wasn't.)

Might as well get friendly.


	2. Chapter 2

When he exited Misty’s stall, the tall appaloosa in tow, he ran into one of the last things he was expecting to.

Denis was sitting on a hay bale, despite the discomfort, and was playing with one of the barn cats. She was twisting and leaping, swiping at a piece of straw Dennis was dangling in front of her.

Mac coughed and scuffed his (functional and well-worn) boot on the ground.

Dennis looked p and dropped the piece of hay instantly, straightening and ignoring the cat at his feet, who was now meowing insistently.

Mac raised his eyebrows.

Dennis crossed his arms and stuck out his chin, defiant, daring Mac to say something.

What did this guy want to _prove_ so badly?

“That’s Bauer. She’s a good cat. Kills rats like nobody’s business.” Mac said, instead.

Dennis nods and Bauer mews again, leaping up into Dennis lap.

“She likes ear scratches.” Mac says, giving Dennis a genuine smile for the first time. He tugs on Misty’s lead and grabs Bridgett’s too. He leads them out front, ties them to a hitching post, and goes inside to set up the rest of their rations and the weekly delivery of more over the summer.

And if Dennis left early? Double portions for Mac. He had been meaning to bulk up anyway.

***

Herding the sheep _and_ Dennis up the mountain was a harder job than Mac signed up for. Dennis had forgotten pretty much everything that went into riding a horse.

He let his legs flap wildly while trotting, and (no matter how high the heels were on your boots) your feet where going to come out of the stirrups when doing a trot on Bridgett. The picture was really completed by the sheep milling about and _baa_ -ing in frustration as Denis feet failed around wildly. There were a few close calls, but luckily the sheep were low enough to the ground that the horrible boots missed their heads.

Mac could move them to a smoother canter but watching Dennis scramble and pretend he wasn’t was better to watch then even the Snapridge rising slowly to meet them. The peak was still heavy with white snow, summer not setting in quite heavily enough to wipe it from the mountain.

Mac glanced at Dennis again, whose eyebrows were now furrowed in concentration. He was blocking out everything but trying to keep his seat on his horse.

Mac patted Misty’s neck and pulled her down to a walk. She was going to overheat at this pace, anyway. Might as well give her a break.

Bridgett slowed her pace to match Misty’s, as Mac knew she would. Dennis looked up sharply and met Macs eyes.

His eyes were an unsettlingly clear blue. Mac couldn’t look away from them.

His mouth was suddenly very dry. Dennis’ eyes narrowed. Were Mac’s palms sweating?

“Just. Just giving the horses a rest.” Mac said, his voice scraping across his rough throat. He coughed quickly and looked away. “Also. You could, uh-- try just. Keep your heels down.” Mac finished awkwardly. He looked steadily up at the Snapridge as they crossed a rocky valley. They were closing in on the first pasture of the summer. “I’m gunna go check on the dogs at the back. Just keep riding for the clearing over there.”

Mac gestured vaguely and then turned his horse around, riding around the rest of the flock, pretending he hadn’t ever met Dennis Reynolds.

This would not be the last time he employed that trick.

It also would not be the only time it didn’t work.

***

Dennis didn’t even last a day before he tried to leave the first time.

He caught Dennis trying to steal Misty while Mac had been heating up some corn wrapped in tinfoil and throwing classic beans on a skillet.

Mac figured he might as well give Dennis the meal he was expecting.

All it took was one unsurprised look from Mac before Dennis was stomping back into the tent and not coming out for dinner.

Mac turned in about a half hour later, cleaning his plate and Dennis’ too.

He curled up in his thermal sleeping bag and worked very, very hard at not thinking about how small the tent was.

It didn’t really work.

 

***

The next several weeks passed in a blur of arguments, lingering looks and slowly becoming more comfortable around each other.

As the air warmed so did their feelings toward each other. Mac discovered that Dennis wasn’t as rude and performative as eh pretended, and Dennis seemed to start to understand Mac didn’t actually want to betray him at every turn.

Mac wasn’t sitting in wait to stab the man in the back.

It was surprisingly easy to start having fun with Dennis, when he started showing Mac the genuine parts of himself.

They’d goof around in the river while fishing, chase the sheep around while screaming their life’s frustrations, once they even tumbled down one the Snapsridge’s more rolling hills.

It was a dream.

It made sense Mac would have to wake up eventually.

It all goes to shit one afternoon when Mac accidentally outs himself to a couple of sheep. The sheep, Mac learns, where not to only ones listening with rapt attention.

Mac tries desperately to explain himself, pointing out again and again that Mac is still _Mac_ even though he let this little thing slip—he’d get it back under control he promised, Denni— _Dennis._

_  
_

Dennis storms off. There’s a storm brewing but Mac can’t even bring himself to care.

He kicks a rock on the ground as hard as he can. Probably breaks a few toes on it.

“This is a goddamn _bitch_ of an unsatisfactory situation!” He yells at the two sheep that were the root of this whole mess, really.

The bleat and go back to ripping up clover.

Mac sighs, rubs his eyes, and does one more pass around the flock before bed.

***

Mac sits up when Dennis comes into the tent.

He Dennis’ blue eyes head on in the pale lantern light. The world is rumbling outside and Dennis is soaked to the skin, cold and wet.

His eyes are neither.

It’s late, especially considering their normal hours. They would go to bed and wake up with the sun. The sun has long since sunk and is probably working its way into rising. Dennis, impossibly, smells like booze.

He tastes like it to.

When Dennis kisses him it’s rough and fast and hungry. The bursting of a dam. Mac kisses back just as hard and wild.

He takes the opportunity to throw Dennis’ cowboy hat out of the tent and into the unforgiving storm outside.

They don’t rise with the sun the next morning, both too drained and loose and grounded to bother.

***

They finish up their job on the Snapridge. They herd the sheep back down the mountain. Mac makes a comment about Dennis’ ‘improved riding skills’ and gets smacked with a saddlebag for his trouble.

They get back to the ranch and Mac tells Frank he’s taking a vacation.

He hold Dennis’ hand the whole time.

**Author's Note:**

> i stole the name for the mountian range from my own d&d campaign lmao


End file.
